'Cut roads budget by $2b'

The Auckland Plan would require either $2 peak-time motorway tolls or a combination of raising petrol tax by 12c a litre and raising residential rates by an extra 15 per cent. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Generation Zero says savings will come from axing major projects in Auckland Plan.

Youth lobby group Generation Zero says Auckland Council's planned spending on new roads in its 10-year budget should be cut by $2 billion.

The group, which aims to stop global warming, will unveil an alternative "essential transport budget" cutting $200 million a year off the council's preferred option at an "Auckland Conversations" debate with Mayor Len Brown tonight.

Its alternative would add only about $1 billion to the $6.9 billion "basic" option in the 10-year budget - far short of the extra $3.4 billion required for the $10.3 billion "Auckland Plan" that is the only other option offered in the council's consultation document which is open for public comment until March 16.

The saving would come from axing most major road projects in the Auckland Plan, including the Penlink Rd between Redvale and Whangaparaoa, upgrading Mill Rd in South Auckland and widening Lincoln Rd in Henderson.

That would leave only about $1 billion for public transport, walkway and cycling improvements above the council's "basic" option.

"We think the Auckland Plan is too much of a wishlist and it's not affordable," said Generation Zero Auckland director Dr Sudhvir Singh.

"We have done the costings for a very comprehensive public transport and cycling network for an additional $100 million a year. That would allow Auckland to have a congestion-free network and a turn-up-and-go frequent public transport network serving the entire region."

The Auckland Plan would require either $2 peak-time motorway tolls or a combination of raising petrol tax by 12c a litre and raising residential rates by an extra 15 per cent over 10 years on top of the 57 per cent increase already built into the "basic" option.

Transport Blog editor Patrick Reynolds said the rates increase option was "not really practicable or equitable", and motorway tolls should not be imposed until commuters had a viable public transport alternative.

"New Zealanders have shown a tremendous lack of enthusiasm to pay even a small toll, so it's almost certain that people will take every opportunity to avoid tolls, in other words the local roads are likely to become flooded by structural rat-running," he said.

"The poster cities for road pricing - London, Stockholm and Singapore - all have complete subway networks and busways and cycleways. We are attempting to do that before we have that network."

Auckland Business Forum head Michael Barnett said motorway tolls would be fairer than rates and petrol tax hikes, but he said the council should consider a third option of selling assets such as the port.

He said it would be dangerous to drop roading projects such as Penlink, Mill Rd and Lincoln Rd that were needed to cope with population growth in those areas.

Registrations for tonight's debate have already filled the Aotea Centre's 650-seat NZI conference room.

Transport debate

What: 'Auckland Conversations - fixing Auckland's transport.'

Who: Mayor Len Brown, Pippa Coom (Waitemata Local Board), Patrick Reynolds (Transport Blog), Dr Sudhvir Singh (Generation Zero), David Warburton (Auckland Transport), Peter Winder (Auckland transport funding consensus building group). MC: Fran O'Sullivan (NZ Herald).

Where: Aotea Centre.

When: 5.30pm today. Registrations closed.

On the web
www.shapeauckland.co.nz